Leather Jackets and Converse All Stars
by Hypothetical Otters
Summary: Similar to The Lodger. Amy gets left behind by the TARDIS in Manchester in 1974.she meets Sam Tyler. This is a story about what happens next. (I cannot write summaries) I don't own Doctor Who or Life On Mars, but i wish i did. please review. this is now complete!
1. Chapter 1

Amy looked up and down the road. She didn't know where she was, what she was doing here, or how she was going to get out. The place looked like Earth, but a long time ago. Amy assumed that she was in England, because of the language, but that could have been the TARDIS translating. "Why did you have to leave me again, Doctor? It's really bloody cold; you promised me warmth this time... yet another thing you failed at," she grumbled as she paced. She didn't want to leave the spot where the TARDIS had dumped her, in case the spaceman came back. She kicked up the leaves on the pavement.

Sam had stormed out of the police station. "Bloody Gene Hunt. He's wrong! He's got no evidence! He can't leave that kid in the cells!" He knocked into someone, but didn't bother to stop. He just needed to walk away. If only he could get out of Manchester...

"And people still don't apologise! Could this day get any worse?" She looked at the guy who had walked into her. He seemed familiar, so she chased after him. She didn't understand how she could know anyone. She was in a new place, after all. The man must have heard her, he started to run. He ran back to the police station. The plan had been to run back to his flat, but the person chasing him had caught up.

"Annie. I- wait. You're not Annie."

"One point to the familiar stranger, my name's Amy."

"Why were you chasing me?"

"Thought I recognised you."

"What? I've never met you before"

"Not here... I know who you are. You're Harold Saxon!"

"No, you must have me confused with someone. My name's Sam Tyler."

"Ok. Well sorry about that."

"See you around?"

"Maybe. Time works in mysterious ways."

Sam recognised the name. He hadn't heard of anyone called Harold Saxon, but it stirred a memory in his head. He watched the mysterious girl walk away from him and wondered where she had come from. She was smiling, but that smile was hiding confusion and a lost girl. Sam didn't want to let the girl walk away from him.

Amy didn't know why she had thought the man was Harold Saxon, he had been shot by his wife in 2007, he couldn't be in... Well wherever she was, Harold Saxon couldn't be there. Amy still needed to find out when and where she was, so she turned back to face the familiar stranger.

"I don't suppose you could tell me when and where I am? Odd question I know."

The familiar stranger looked bemused. "You're in Manchester and it's 1973. How could you not know when or where you are?"

"I didn't know I was going to be here... My friend dropped me off."

"Ok, where is your friend?"

"I'm not sure."

"Right is there anywhere I could take you? Home maybe?"

"Home would be nice. But only if you've got a time machine."

"If I did have one, I wouldn't be here. I'd be back at home with-"

Sam realised what he was saying and cut himself off, before he confused the girl. But what had he been thinking? He ran back over his thoughts. I'd be back at home with- now which name should have fit there? Was it Maya, or Lucy? Sam didn't think he knew anyone called Lucy, but the name kept popping into his head.

"Maybe I'll see you around time boy."

Amy's goodbye pulled him back out of his thoughts, back to reality. He turned round, about to go head first into- god knows what. He turned back around and chased after Amy Pond. He found her sat on the corner of the street, where he had bumped into her earlier. The girl was staring at the sky, almost as if she expected something to drop out of it. He walked over to her and sat next to her.

"Who are you waiting for?"

"My friend" Waiting for the second time. "I hope it doesn't take twelve years."

"Twelve years? That's a long time to wait for someone."

"Twelve long years, and four psychiatrists."

"Four. What did you do to them?"

"I kept biting them."

"Why?"

"They said he wasn't real."

"Why did they say that?"

"I was ten."

Sam wondered if sitting here was good for the girl. He wondered what to do. He was hungry and thought about inviting her out for lunch.

"Do you want to go for lunch somewhere?"

Amy thought about it. Would the Doctor be able to find her if she wasn't here, where he dropped her?

"Yeah, let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

Sam took Amy to the Railway Arms. He looked through the window and didn't see anyone from the station. They walked in and sat at a table, tucked away in the corner of the room. They chatted about nothing, and sat there for most of the afternoon. Sam looked at the clock. CID would be arriving soon and Sam didn't want to be there to see them. He looked at Amy and grinned.

"Let's find somewhere else."

He and Amy stumbled out of the pub and along the road. Sam thought about Manchester, and where he could take the girl. When he realised that he didn't know anywhere to go, as he knew Manchester from the future a lot better, Sam invited Amy back to his flat.

The talked about pasts, and futures, but neither of them wanted to talk about the present. Amy couldn't talk about the Doctor, and Sam was confused by his world. The clock chimed midnight before either of them realised how late it was. Sam offered Amy the bed, and he slept on the sofa. He had a good night's sleep and wasn't plagued by dreams of the test card girl, or her clown. Amy dreamt that she was back on the TARDIS, with the Doctor, and she dreamt that she hadn't been abandoned for the second time. She woke up and felt tears running down her face.

"I'm crying. Why am I crying?" Amy whispered. She didn't feel happy or sad, she was just crying.

Sam was in the kitchen, making breakfast. Gene Hunt wasn't knocking the door down because something had happened, and Sam felt lucky. This was a luxury. He had woken up naturally. He looked over to the girl on his bed. She was crying and he couldn't work out why, although it seemed that she couldn't either. She raised a hand to her face and wiped at the tears. He heard her whisper. He walked over to her and sat next to her on the bed. He put his arm round her shoulders, trying to comfort the crying girl. They sat like that for 5 minutes, and then Sam remembered he had been cooking breakfast for the two of them.

Sam thought about what to. He had to go to work, and he couldn't take her with him. He couldn't leave her here; she would be incredibly bored. More importantly, if she left with her friend, he couldn't get back to 2006. He would lose that one tiny glimmer of hope that he still had.

Amy had a plan. She would go to work with Sam Tyler, and if the doctor turned up Amy would make damn sure Sam was taken back to 2006.

The journey to the police station took no time at all. Sam stopped before heading in. He needed an explanation, something to say to the others, why he stormed out and who Amy was. He needed to explain that to Annie as well, he sure as hell didn't want any trouble.

The day passed with surprising ease, Annie wasn't in and Gene, Ray and Chris appeared not to mind about him storming off the previous day. This all felt too easy.

At the end of the day Sam and Amy made their way back to his flat. The situation was temporary and Sam didn't want to turf the poor girl out onto the streets.

Amy needed a job. She had been in 1973 for 3 months now and couldn't keep sponging off the detective, the first person she had met. Sam got her a job on the front desk at the station and they fell into a routine. They worked all day then went to the pub with CID. They stumbled home after ten and fell into fitful sleeps.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam still dreamt about the test card girl, but everything felt better with Amy there. He didn't want to go back to 2006 as much, there was still a pang of longing every now and then, but he felt happier. Amy sometimes dreamt of the TARDIS and whenever she did she woke up crying, without having much of a reason for it. She didn't mind if the Doctor never picked her up as she was settled with Sam. They were a couple, without either of them ever mentioning the word.

Amy was a bit tipsy as she walked back from the pub. She almost fell over so Sam put his arm around her waist, to steady her. He looked at her and thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He bent down and kissed her. She leant into the kiss...

They broke apart. "You don't know how long I've waited to do that." As Sam said that a smile crept over his face. He was elated, so happy that she felt the same way. They were smiling as they walked back to the flat.

Amy watched as Sam went down on one knee. He was holding her hand, never letting go. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red box. "Will you marry me?" Amy said yes, she took the box out of his hand and looked at the ring. It was a small band of gold. Amy loved it. She slipped it onto her finger and the two of them kissed. They had planned to get married in September.


	4. Chapter 4

It was the day before their wedding and they were both at home. There was a knock at the door and Amy answered it. A man stood there wearing a tweed jacket and a red bowtie. She looked at him and a slap resounded through the flat. "14 years, 3 months and two days!" Amy shouted at him. Sam heard the commotion and rushed out to help her. He saw the man clutching his face and smiled, his girl really could pack a punch. He walked over to Amy and gave her a peck on the cheek. The man looked at them, confused.

He shook his head and honed into the numbers she had shouted at him.

"2 years since you dropped me here and twelve years when I was a kid." She said simply. It seemed she was still able to read him.

"Do you want me to get rid of him?"

Amy shook her head, "I want to hear why he dropped me and took off."

"It wasn't my choice! The TARDIS didn't want to land here, so I went to park her somewhere."

Amy looked at him. She saw that he was telling the truth, that he wouldn't intentionally leave her again.

"Come on Pond. I'll take you home."

Amy shook he head. "Home is where the heart is."

She smiled at Sam and the Doctor shook his head sadly.

"I'm staying here. I'm getting married tomorrow." She smiled as she said this and turned towards Sam. Their eyes lit up as they looked at each other.

She isn't scared. Last time, she ran off the day before her wedding. The Doctor was happy for her, and he believed that she was happy too. The Doctor turned away from the door and walked along the street. He heard the door shut and the Doctor turned to look at it. He saw the door and smiled. It was TARDIS blue. He knew that Amy still missed him, and missed travelling in the TARDIS.


	5. Chapter 5

Amy was trying to get her son to school. They were running late and he was refusing to put his shoes on. Sam rushed passed the arguing pair, still chewing a mouthful of toast. He rushed out of the door after saying goodbye to Amy and Rory.

Amy heard the car start and she heard him drive away from the house. Rory had put his feet into his shoes and was waiting impatiently for his mother to do the laces up.

School was only five minutes' walk away and they had to run. Rory was babbling about nothing and Amy wasn't really listening, just nodding and sounding interested.

"And then there was a blue box, it just appeared!"

Amy thought she had misheard her son. She knelt in front of him and held his shoulders. Amy asked him to repeat what he had said.

"There was a blue box, and it was there. Was that wrong?" The boy's lower lip began to quiver and he looked like he was about to cry. Amy smiled at her son and gave him a hug.

"Not wrong, just surprising. What happened then?"

"I don't remember anything else."

Amy squeezed her son's shoulders and they walked the last few metres to the school looking at the clouds. She waved at him as he skipped into the school, and into his classroom. Amy thought about his dream. It was laughable that he could be back. The Doctor had left her and wasn't going to be walking around 1980, just to find her.

Amy thought she had heard the familiar noise of the TARDIS as she went into her and Sam's house. She shook her head, it couldn't have been him. She must have been imagining the noise. She walked over to the phone and started to dial the number for the police station. She needed Sam to be at home.

The phone was ringing.

"Hi. Phyllis, can you put me through to Sam please? It's Amy."

Amy felt a hand on her shoulder and she screamed. The phone dropped from her fingers and landed on the table.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Sam, Amy was on the phone."

Phyllis had called Sam out of CID to tell Sam.

"She asked for you, screamed and then the phone went dead."

Sam walked back into CID, grabbed his leather jacket and walked out of the station. He was panicking as he got into his car and drove to his home. The door was open and he expected the worst. He reached into his pocket and found his gun. He pulled it out as he walked through the open door.

"Hello? Amy?"

"Hello Sam, I'm in the living room."

She didn't sound upset or frightened. He walked into the living room, still with his gun in his hand.

He saw a man sitting on the sofa, holding a cup of tea. He thought he recognised the man in a tweed jacket and red bowtie, but he wasn't sure.

"Hi Sam. Remember me?"

"Should I?"

"We met, 7 years ago. Well, 7 years to you, five minutes to me."

Amy shook her head at the strange man in her living room. She didn't want Sam to be confused by him.

"7 years ago? I'm supposed to remember that am I? Amy, are you ok? Phyllis said you screamed."

Amy hugged Sam.

"Of course I'm ok; I was just surprised by the Doctor."

Sam looked disparagingly at the man in his living room. How could he not have a name?

"The Doctor, does he have a name, or is it just a title?"

"Just the Doctor"

"What's he here for Amy?"

"What are you here for, Doctor? And why are you in my sons' dreams?"

The Doctor looked confused.

"In your son's dreams?"

"Yeah, the TARDIS appeared in his dreams last night. That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Sam."

The doctor was reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pressed the button. Amy was comforted by the sound, whereas Sam put his hands over his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. Amy rushed over to him and gave him a hug.

"What's wrong Sam?"

".I... I...remember that sound"

"What, how do you remember it?"

"I don't know, I just do."

The doctor had hit the sonic screwdriver against his palm and held it up to his ear.

"I need to see your son. Come along Pond."

"Tyler."

As she said this, Amy showed the Doctor her wedding ring.

"No, you will always be Pond to me."

She looked at Sam and grabbed his hand.

"Are you feeling up to moving?"

"Yeah, I feel fine now. I don't know what happened just then."

The Doctor had a knowing smile on his face and Amy looked questioningly at him. He shook his head, very slightly, but she still saw it.

"Spoilers, Amy."

She sighed at him. "Stealing River's favourite phrase?"

"Borrowed not stolen. Now let's go find your son."


	7. Chapter 7

Sam didn't understand. His head still hurt, and he didn't know why. He didn't understand who the doctor was or how Amy, his wife, knew the strange man.

The doctor didn't understand. How was the TARDIS appearing in a six year olds dreams? Why Amy's son? She hadn't forgotten about the roman though, she had named her son after him, and the Doctor was pleased. He didn't understand about her husband and why he had a violent reaction to his sonic screwdriver; that had never happened before.

Amy didn't understand. Why was the Doctor back now, and what was he doing in her sons dreams? She didn't understand why her husband had a reaction to the sonic screwdriver, or why he said he remembered it.

There was silence as the three of them walked to Rory's school. They arrived in just under five minutes and stopped outside of the school gate. Only the Doctor knew what they were doing there. He whirled round to face the two of them.

"I need to talk to Rory. I need to see his dreams."

"Sorry, "see" his dreams?"

"Yep." He put his palms on the Sam's temples and closed his eyes. The Doctor was going to show him what he meant, by transferring a memory from the Doctor to Sam Tyler but his thoughts and memories were more interesting. The doctor saw Sam's 2006 world and memories from the 70's.

"Interesting."

"That's not going to hurt my son is it?"

"It didn't hurt you, so why do you think it's going to hurt your son?"

Amy walked through the gates and over to the main office. She looked to see her boys trailing after her. The doctor still looking at his sonic screwdriver and Sam. Well he looked like he was having fun, rather than the confusion most people had when they met the Doctor.

"Hi, Rory has a doctor's appointment; I need to collect him now."

Well, she wasn't exactly telling a lie, it was an appointment with _the Doctor_.

Amy watched as the secretary left her desk and walked along the corridor, and went into a classroom. After five minutes she heard Rory running along the corridor. Amy crouched with her arms outstretched. He ran into her arms and she lifted him up and gave him a hug. When she put him back on the floor she grabbed his hand.

"Let's go have an adventure"

They walked over to where Sam and the Doctor were still talking about the dangers of the mind swap, and Amy sighed. The two men stopped talking and Sam picked Rory up.


	8. Chapter 8

"Hey Rory, how's school?"

Rory buried his head into Sam's shoulder. He didn't want to talk to the strange man, Mummy had told him not to talk to strangers.

Amy grabbed the doctor's arm and pulled him back so she could talk to him. The Doctor needed to talk to Amy as well.

"I need answers, why is the TARDIS in his dreams?"

"Why is there temporal energy at your house?"

In answer to the Doctor's question Amy pointed to herself and the Doctor shook his head.

"It's not you; there's too much energy to just be one girl."

Amy sighed grumpily. "Well, there's Sam. One minute he was in 2006, in a road accident, and then he woke up here. Could that be it?"

"There's too much for that as well."

"I've got no idea then."

The two of them walked in silence for a few metres. The doctor needed to ask Amy, he needed to know why.

"Why did you call your son Rory?"

"I don't know, it seemed like a nice name."

"Not after a roman, then?"

Amy looked confused and felt a tear make its way down her cheek. She touched it incredulously.

"Why am I crying, Doctor?"

"You're remembering."

She looked at him confused. "Remembering what?"

"It wasn't just us, in the TARDIS. You were getting married, and you ran away on your wedding night, you ran to see the stars. We went back to Earth, you got married and your husband joined us. He kept being killed, or touched by time energy, meaning he ceased to exist. He protected you for two thousand years, dressed as a Roman, while you were in the Pandorica."

"I remember all that, but there was never a Roman, or a third person in the TARDIS."

"You cry because you remember him. You brought him back from the dead. You pulled him out of the void, and turned him into a roman. You have to remember him."

"No, sorry. I'm married to Sam Tyler, not some Roman."

The Doctor sighed; he clearly wasn't going to get Amy to believe him so he gave up.

Sam and Rory had already got to their house and Sam was in the process of removing Rory's shoes. "Who's that man? The man wearing a bowtie, why's he talking to mummy?"

"I don't know his name, but I know he's an old friend of hers. The bowtie is silly isn't it?"

"I think the bowtie's cool!"

Amy and the Doctor walked through the door as Rory said this.

"See Amy, it's not stupid; it is cool."

Amy rolled her eyes at him. She couldn't believe that he wanted to have this argument with her.

"I'm going to have to find one for him to wear tomorrow now."

"Borrow one of mine, I've got hundreds. What colour tie do you want Rory?"

Rory's brow furrowed as he thought about it. "Yellow."

"Good choice, like the sun. I'll go get it."

He walked into the TARDIS and after a minute he poked his head back out the door.

"Would you like to see my TARDIS?"


	9. Chapter 9

Rory looked delighted so the three of them, Sam Amy and Rory Tyler walked through the blue doors.

"It's smaller on the outside."

"There's a first."

"It's like another dimension."

"You're right. How did you know?"

Sam shook his head. He didn't know how he knew it was another dimension, he just did.

The doctor grabbed Rory's hand. "Let's go get you that bowtie Rory." As the two of them walked away from the control room, Amy heard the Doctor talk about fezzes. "He is not having a fez!"

"Seems that Rory wants one." The Doctor shouted from the corridor.

Sam had walked over to the control deck. He flipped a switch and the TARDIS juddered.

"Seems she doesn't like me much" He moved backwards, as if he had been thrown away, and fell into a chair. He put his head into his hands. He saw a powerful memory. _Standing in the TARDIS, locking the doors and travelling back in time. The TARDIS was caged and there was a pressure gauge, the needle almost in the red. _

Sam kept seeing the time 8:02 and didn't know what it meant. He needed a doctor.

Amy was sat in front of Sam. She reached up and stroked his head. "What happened?"

"I remembered." Amy didn't understand what he meant so she hugged him. They were still sat like that when the Doctor and Rory came rushing in.

"Is everything alright? What happened?"

"Sam flicked a switch and the TARDIS complained. Then he said he remembered something, but I don't know what."

Amy looked at Rory. He had on a yellow bowtie. He looked cool in it, whereas the Doctor looked ridiculous.

"Did you tie that yourself?"

"Yeah the Doctor taught me." He had a huge smile on his face, he was loving every minute of the 'Doctor's appointment'. It seemed the Doctor was going to be part of Amy's life again, given that her son had taken such a huge shine to him.

"This doesn't make sense. It seems that the TARDIS complained, because she remembers Sam. But he's never been in the TARDIS before."

The Doctor was rambling on to himself and Amy was talking to Rory. Sam had removed his hands from his head and was slowly sitting upright. He felt ok but he had a thumping headache. "Do you have any ibuprofen or anything?" The Doctor looked over to Sam and got his sonic screwdriver out. He pointed it at Sam. "Feel any better?" Sam nodded. He felt better, but his head was still pounding. It felt as if someone was playing a drum in his mind.

"What did you remember?"

"Standing in the TARDIS, locking the doors and travelling back in time. The TARDIS was caged and there was a dial... there was a time. Two minutes past eight."

The doctor pointed the sonic screwdriver at Sam. He knew what to look for and the screwdriver confirmed it. Timelord.


	10. Chapter 10

The Doctor rushed out of the TARDIS and Amy followed him. The Doctor was pacing the living room. "Where is it? Where did you hide it?" The Doctor hit his forehead with his palms, as if that would aid his memory.

"Hide what? What are you looking for, Doctor?"

"Fob watch that doesn't open. Does 'Sam' have one?"

"Don't waggle your fingers when you say his name... "

"Does he have one, yes or no?" the Doctor was getting impatient.

"Yeah, it's in the bedroom. I'll go and get it."

Amy was back very quickly. "Why do you need it?"

"I need to show him who he really is. I can't be alone forever."

"And what about me? If you show him who he is, what happens to me?"

"I'm sorry Amelia."

"I get left behind, don't I?"

The Doctor looked sadly at her. She looked into his eyes and saw the truth. Everyone he met left him in the end. Showing Sam the truth would mean he didn't have to be alone. Amy felt tears in her eyes. What would happen to her? Would he leave her in the seventies, or would he drop her off in the twenty first century? She didn't want either to happen. She had found happiness with Sam Tyler, they had a son, she didn't want to leave them. Before she had met Sam she was happy in the TARDIS, happier than in Ledworth. She didn't want to leave the Doctor on his own. She didn't want to leave any of her boys alone.

"You only call me Amelia when you worry about me."

"And I worry about you all the time." He was always so happy and optimistic, but to Amy he sounded uncharacteristically sad. He turned to the TARDIS and walked to the doors. He looked back at Amy. "Ready?" As he said this he grinned his trademark smile that Amy had grown accustomed to seeing. She followed him into the TARDIS, and took her first steps into the unknown.


	11. Chapter 11

The Doctor strode over to Sam with the fob watch in his palm. Amy walked over to her son and put her arms around him. His Dad was leaving him, and she didn't want Rory to see it. Amy carried Rory out of the TARDIS and into the kitchen. She set about making some sandwiches for lunch, to take her mind off what was happening in her living room. "What filling do you want, Rory? Ham, cheese, or both?" She made him a cheese and ham sandwich and took it to the table. As they sat, Amy found herself telling Rory all about her adventures with the Doctor.

She heard a noise from the living room and sighed. "There goes the Doctor. Planets to save and an awful lot of running to do." Rory ran into the living room, expecting to see his dad waiting for him. "Where's dad?" He sounded like he was about to cry. Amy found him and hugged him. "He's gone. The Doctor took him, and he's not coming back." She found herself ranting about the Doctor to her son. "He promises people the stars, and then forgets them for years. He comes back, steals them. He drops them in random places and ruins their lives. He calls himself the Doctor. The healer. He doesn't heal. He rips worlds apart and doesn't look back." She felt tears of anger, not sadness, run down her face. She couldn't stop them. She was so angry at him. Her raggedy Doctor, her imaginary friend had ruined her life, and now he was ruining her sons.

She needed to get out of the house for a bit so she took Rory to the duck pond. They took some stale bread and fed the ducks. They walked into town and did some shopping. Without realising it, they were stood outside the police station where Sam had worked. Amy realised she would have to tell Gene Hunt that Sam was gone. They walked in. Rory was excited, Amy had taken him to work, when he was younger, and Rory had found it all very exciting. She walked past the front desk and into CID. They were all in the office, supposedly doing paperwork but Chris and Ray were asleep. Amy rolled her eyes and poked Chris in the ribs.

"I need to talk to Gene. Would you look after Rory for a bit please?"

Chris nodded. He liked Rory and the kid had never been much trouble before. He noticed the bowtie he was wearing but when he mentioned it, Amy's eyes began to fill with tears.

She walked into Gene's office and slammed the door. Gene started at the sound and Amy rolled their eyes. "How you three catch criminals is beyond me!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Rory was sat at Sam's desk drawing. He drew a blue police box and a man in a tweed jacket and a fez. Chris was happy to just let him do that and he was going to fall back to sleep when Ray threw some paper at him.

"That phone call was a bit weird."

As usual Chris was clueless.

"She rang front desk, asked to talk to Sam, then screamed and put the phone down. Now she's turned up here, with her kid in tow. Wonder what happened."

"Probably had a fight and she wants out. Fed up of Tyler's mad theories, I bet."

Amy stormed out of Gene's office and grabbed Rory's hand. "Come on, we're leaving cause some people won't listen!" she shouted the last bit in Gene's direction.

"Well if you started talking sense and weren't spouting about a mad man in a box, and a fob watch, maybe I'd believe you weren't talking out of your arse!"

Amy turned on her heel and walked out of CID

"And you two"

"Yes guv?"

"Do some bloody work!"

Chris turned to Ray. "Sam wasn't the only one with mad theories then."


	12. Chapter 12

Amy walked back to their house- her house. Now Sam was gone, it was her house. She was still fuming about her meeting with Gene Hunt. He was a stupid narrow minded misogynist who didn't care. Amy wanted to make herself a cup of tea and collapse in front of the telly. Thankfully it was five pm and this was a sort of acceptable time to do this. She made tea for the two of them. Beans on toast, nice and simple. Amy and Rory sat on the sofa and watched rubbish until 8'o'clock when she put Rory to bed. She sat next to him on the bed and read to him from one of the books on his bookshelf. He fell asleep as she was reading. She ruffled his hair and wished she could have a child's optimism, she wished that she could believe that when she woke up Sam would be lying next to her.

She went into her own room and lay back on the bed. She curled up and cried. All the tears she had been keeping bottled up left her body. She woke up in the morning and saw that Sam had not materialised. She felt as empty as she had felt the day before. She wandered into Rory's room and saw that he was still sleeping. She went down to the kitchen to make the two of them breakfast. Amy stopped just inside the kitchen. She blinked at the Doctor. He couldn't be here, not again.

"Here to take my son from me as well?" She couldn't muster up the energy to be icy towards him, she just felt sad.

"No. You didn't think I would leave you again, did you Amelia?"

"What did you do to Sam? Where is he?"

"Showed him his true self. He's still here."

"Promise?"

"Yes"

"Give him back to me then"

"No. He's too dangerous. He has to stay with me."

"Why?"

"He is a Timelord. The Master. He killed people."

"So did you." The Doctor winced and looked away, ashamed of his past.

"But he doesn't care about it."

"He cared about me"

"Sam Tyler cared about you. The Master didn't"

"But they're the same person"

"Sam Tyler was a deception. He fooled himself into thinking he was a police man. He forgot."

"Can I see him?"

"Yes. He's here."

The Doctor lent against the TARDIS, which was invisible, and it immediately turned blue. Amy pushed the doors open and ran over to Sam. They kissed and the Doctor looked surprised.

"But you- you don't care!"

"Living here has made me more human than you think. I care about Amelia Pond, and about Rory. I don't have to stay here with you. I could stay in Manchester. We all have someone who changed us. Amy changed me, like Rose changed you."

Before the doctor could answer there was a knock on the TARDIS door. It opened and Rory was stood there. He rubbed his eyes and asked if Sam was back for good. Sam picked his son up. "Yeah, I'm back and I'm not going anywhere." Rory smiled. Sam carried him back out of the TARDIS to the kitchen. Amy heard him ask Rory what he wanted for breakfast and smiled. They were a family again.

The Doctor coughed. "All those things I said were true."

"I don't care. Who is Rose?"

"Rose was my friend. She saved me. I was guilty and alone. She made everything better."

"What happened to her?"

"She's on a parallel universe with her mum, Dad, her little brother and 10. Well sort of..."

"What do you mean sort of ten?"

"He's me, but he's human. He looked like me, my tenth body, and he lives with her."

The two of them stood in silence and Amy hugged the Doctor. "This is the last time I'll see you."

"I know. I've made my decision."

"Goodbye Pond. Have fun with your Timelord."

"Goodbye Doctor. Don't be lonely for too long. I hope you find someone else."

She left the TARDIS and the Doctor watched her go. He felt a tear run down his cheek but he ignored it. He flipped some switches and the TARDIS started up.

"Sam, Rory. Come in here a minute!" Amy shouted. Her boys joined her in the living room and they watched the TARDIS dematerialise.

"Goodbye, old friend."

"Thanks for the bowtie."

Amy smiled at Rory. She hoped his life wasn't going to be too messed up by these past few days.


	13. Chapter 13

Rory was walking to the hospital. It took him thirty minutes to walk from his flat, across Edinburg and into work. Doctor Rory Tyler. He was proud of his job, even if his Dad wasn't. He liked helping people, and curing illnesses was a good way to help people.

After his graduation he got a job in Edinburg hospital and moved away from Manchester. He liked the freedom of having his own place and filling it with his own stuff. It was a different kind of freedom to university; he couldn't just go home at the weekend to see his parents.

He got to the hospital and was walking up to his ward. He thought about the people he had to see and sighed. So many operations and illnesses. What he wouldn't give to be able to cure them all...

He stopped and turned around. He had heard a noise from his childhood, one he didn't think he would ever hear again.

"Bloody hell. It is real." He had thought he had imagined the blue box that had materialised behind him.

The doors opened and the Doctor walked out. He hadn't changed at all in the 19 years since Rory had last seen him, in his parent's living room.

"You left the breaks on again, Doctor."

"Nice bowtie" Rory smiled.

"Do I know you?"

"Yeah, you gave me my first bowtie when I was six."

"Rory Tyler. Good to see you again."

"What are you doing here?"

"Saving the world. That's what I do."

"Why?"

"Something's happening here, right here, and right now. I think I need your help."

"My help. How could I possibly help you, I'm not important!"

"Not important? Blimey, that's new. In 900 years of time and space I have never met anyone who wasn't the slightest bit important. Since you're here, it could have something to do with you. Considering who your parents are."

Rory looked confused. "Who my parents are?" he sounded incredulous.

"They didn't tell you? Right, we've got to see your parents!"

Rory followed the Doctor into the TARDIS and watched as he flicked switches and pushed buttons, in a seemingly random order. The TARDIS started up and disappeared from the hospital and landed in Sam and Amy's living room.


	14. Chapter 14

"Don't forget to take the breaks off"

"What is it with the Ponds? Always going on about the breaks..."

If Rory was confused by this remark he didn't show it. He felt the TARDIS land and walked to the doors. He pulled the doors open, ignoring the instructions. He looked around. He had never been in the TARDIS when it was in flight so he was amazed by the journey.

"We've moved. How is that possible?"

"Time machine and space ship. Or alternatively magic."

Rory looked around for his parents. They were both at work and he should have been as well.

"I'm going to make a cup of tea. Do you want one?"

He nodded. Rory went into the kitchen to make the drinks. "They'll be back around five."

The Doctor groaned. Rory ignored him and put the telly on.

After an hour the doctor spoke. Rory had been drifting off to sleep but the Doctor woke him up.

"Is this how time normally passes for you? I don't know how you can stand it!"

"Just leave then. If time is too much for you then get in your phone box and leave."

The Doctor looked hurt. He was about to retort when the front door opened. Amy was home. She walked into the kitchen. She needed a cup of tea after the day she'd had at work. They were ten year old children having pointless arguments over games and stationary. Sometimes she thought she had the worst job in the world. But other times she loved it. Helping shape the future, wondering if any of them would grow up and invent the things she was so used to having in the 21st century.

Amy needed an evening in front of the telly, but that wasn't going to happen.

She walked into the living room holding her tea. She walked into a whispered argument between the Doctor and Rory.

"Will both of you just shut up! I've had enough of Kids arguing for one day!"

The Doctor and Rory turned to look at Amy. Neither of them had heard her enter the room.

"I'll have you know that I am nine hundred years old, not ten."

"Start acting your age then. What are you two doing here?"

"I need answers. Something alien was happening in Edinburgh Hospital. I think it's got something to do with Rory, but he can't help me because you and 'Sam' haven't told him."

"Don't waggle your fingers when you say his name." Rory spoke quietly. "That's his name"

Amy looked uncomfortable. "Can't you tell him? You're so much better at it than I am."

"And you'd know how?"

"I don't. It's just that you understand this, a lot better than I do."

"I don't, this has never happened before."

"Look, I just want to know the truth. Would one of you please tell me?"

Amy looked towards the Doctor, then at the door. She grabbed his arm and practically pulled him into the hall.


	15. Chapter 15

"You can't just tell him!"

"I'm not going to! Go in there and tell your son about you and 'Sam', who you really are."

"Like it's that easy! Your dad is actually a centuries old alien and I'm from the future..."

"He hasn't told you his age?"

"No, he was just trying to forget his past."

"That's not like him. What about mysterious deaths?"

"Stop being sarcastic! Did you not believe him when he said he had changed? Because I did!"

"You don't know him!"

"I know my husband! Better than you, his so called oldest friend"

"Yeah, I _was_ his friend. I was there when he turned, turned against me, tried to make the earth burn, and bring back Galifray. He died in my arms, and you don't think I know him?"

"Seems you both have issues... you killed everyone, and he wanted to bring them back. You still think he is the bad guy?"

"Yes! They were evil! They wanted to control the universe, their divine right, or so they thought..."

"You've both done bad things. Whatever happened to forgiveness? Last time we met you were all about second chances"

"Yes, but not with him. He's had too many second chances."

"Fine!"

"How are you going to tell Rory?"

"Child of the TARDIS, Timelord, be careful of dying in public places, anything I've missed?"

"Quit with the sarcasm Pond. Probably not. Tell him what Sam is."

"That's what I meant by Timelord... Rory's not full Timelord is he?"

"I don't know. This has never happened before. But Rory probably is, what with the Master, and you travelling in the TARDIS"

"Right. Thank you. Are you sticking around or do I have to do this on my own?"

"I'll stay. He has to go back to work."

"He could go with you in the TARDIS."

"But... You almost died too many times and you want your son to go through that as well?"

"It'll be an experience for him, more fun than a hospital at any rate. And he presumably can't die. You two could travel together forever, a Timelord forever not a human forever."

"But you don't know that he won't die. Even if..."

"Even if what?"

"Don't worry. You don't know what i was going to say and presumably you never will."

"I don't know, because you haven't told me."

"Yes, and i don't want you to remember, it would cause even more problems than there already are."

"What do you mean remember?"

"Ignore me. I guess it would be nice to travel with someone."

"I think he would enjoy it, all of time and space. Even the running, he'd enjoy that."


	16. Chapter 16

Running was a big part of life in the TARDIS, from the monsters, after the monsters but always running. Everyone commented on that, and the size of the TARDIS. He'd come to expect those two remarks from people. It was a shock when people didn't comment.

Amy turned to walk back into the sitting room. The Doctor grabbed her arm. "Tell him gently. Don't shock him."

She snorted. "Yeah, cause finding out your dad's an alien and you are too isn't going to scare him."

She pulled her arm out of his grip and walked away. The Doctor watched her go and felt sad. They always left him in the end. Some left, some got left behind and some died. But not her. Never her. The first face his face saw. He always went back for her, no matter how long it took... She had almost died too many times to mention. And now? She wanted her only son to go through the same things. She said it would be good for him. The question was which 'Him' was she talking about? Good for her son to experience different planets, or good to stop her friend travelling alone? If her son said yes, would the lonely traveller see Amy more, or would he son see his parents even less?

She was talking to him now. Telling him of her travelling, past and future. She was giving him the opportunity to run around the stars in an ancient, new, borrowed, blue box with a bowtie and fez wearing alien. She was glossing over the almost-deaths and exaggerating the good times. She painted these times in a perfect light. She sang praises for fish fingers and custard. She wanted to be in that box, the girl who waited, so she lives her life through her son. The girl who waited, no longer for the Doctor, but for her son to come back home.

Amy opened the door and stepped into the hall. She brushed past the Doctor and into the kitchen. She felt tears run down her face and for once, the first time in ages, she knew why. Her son was leaving with her best mate. He finally knew the truth. Child of the TARDIS, part Timelord, and definitely not human. He was looking forward to travelling, looking forward to leaving his life here behind. She had told him of the good times, but also the bad and dangerous, hadn't she? She told of her adventures in that ancient, new, big-sand-small-at-the-same-time box. She told him the scary adventures, and definitely the good adventures. He had leapt at the chance, who wouldn't? He was all set to step inside that box and leave immediately. The girl who waited, no longer for the doctor, but for her son to come back home.


	17. Chapter 17

They sat in the kitchen, waiting for Sam. He had been promoted to DCI when Gene Hunt had moved down to London. Sam didn't want to go with him because Rory was just starting school, and didn't want to unsettle him. He didn't go to the pub after work with his team because they irritated him. He didn't really like them; they saw police work as a job, not the life that he thought it was.

Amy and the Doctor were reminiscing about their adventures, and Rory was imagining what adventures he would have with the Doctor. Amy asked the Doctor about his life, if he had found another companion, where he had been and what things he had done. They didn't notice time passing until the front door opened.

Sam walked into the sitting room and saw the TARDIS.

"What the...?"

Amy got up and walked into the sitting room. The Doctor and Rory followed her a few seconds later.

"Master"

Sam shuddered. He hadn't been called that for years. He disliked it; he had compressed that part of him since he had arrived in the seventies.

"Sam. Not Master."

"I'd have thought you'd like it, your name. Said for the first time in ages"

"No, I'm Sam now. I've changed."

"Clearly"

Sam looked at Rory. He guessed that Amy had told him the truth.

"I'm still the same. I'm still your father, even if I'm not human."

"What about the drums?"

"Gone"

"Well, good...?"

"Yes, good"

"I'm going travelling. Mum told me the truth. I want to help people; that's why I became a doctor. If I go travelling I can help even more people."

"If, and only if, that's ok with him."

"Ok with me? Of course it's ok with me."

Rory was ready to go travelling and now he had permission from his parents. They both knew the dangers of time and space, and they had allowed him to go. He walked quickly over to the TARDIS and pushed to doors open. He walked in, and a few minutes later poked his head out.

"Hurry up Doctor."

"Hurry up? We have all of time to leave. So why go now?"

He pulled his sonic paper out of his pocket as it got a message.

He sauntered over to the TARDIS and walked in. He rushed over to the control deck, where Rory was already pushing buttons and flipping switches.

"And that's the brakes off."

The Doctor pouted.

"But I like that noise..."

"It's better for her if the breaks aren't left on. Where are we going?"

"Where would you like to go? We've got all of time and space to explore."

"To the future"


End file.
